Review on safety of pregnant occupant travelling with or without restraint in a passenger vehicle

A myth exists that warns pregnant women not to use seatbelts because it could kill their unborn babies. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support the idea that pregnant women travel more safely without using seatbelts. In fact, there are more risks if pregnant women travel by car without buckling up their seatbelts. Research has shown that seatbelt wearing could save many lives including pregnant women and their unborn babies. Researchers have also suggested that pregnant women should use seatbelts properly in order to avoid injuries to them and to their unborn child during a collision. However, there are some challenges to automotive engineers in designing safety belt for pregnant women; 1. how to prevent the lap belt from riding up over a pregnant woman's abdomen as she drives, and 2. how to accommodate the changing pregnant woman's body with increased gestational age. Nevertheless, the study on the safety of pregnant women is scarce globally. This is due to the difficulty of getting data on pregnant women as the population is small and the statistical number involved in a crash is even smaller. Thus, the importance of seatbelt use during pregnancy is not given due recognition. As a result, the amount of information on seatbelt use during pregnancy is low and could therefore be the reason for many misconceptions on the importance of seatbelt use during pregnancy.

• Record URL:
  http://www.miros.gov.my/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=7af5b734-a908-4bf2-8f31-34dc858add71&groupId=10124
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9789834464370
• Corporate Authors:

  Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research

  Kuala Lumpur,    
• Authors:
  • Khairil Anwar, A K
  • Noor Faradila, P
• Publication Date: 2009

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 22p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: MRev 02/2009

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Females; Highway safety; Pregnant women; Seat belt use; Seat belts
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road safety (engineering and vehicles)
• Geographic Terms: Malaysia
• ATRI Terms: Female; Pregnancy; Restraint usage; Road safety; Seat belt
• Subject Areas: Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01382449
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 9789834464370
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 22 2012 1:20PM